Welded Steel Pipe VS Seamless Steel Pipe

Pipes and tubings are vital elements in upstream oil and gas. From control lines to electrical lines, tubings can be used in diverse applications. In deepwater environments, coiled tubings could run up more than 70,000 feet to produce hydrocarbon.

It’s a debate that’s been around for a long time, and it’s still going strong today.

So when your next project arrives, what side of the debate will you fall on? Will you choose a welded steel pipe, a welded carbon pipe? Or will you go with one of their seamless counterparts?

Here are some of the advantages of both types of pipes to help you make your decision.

Advantages Of Welded

Welded pipes are typically more cost effective than their seamless equivalents.

Welded pipes are usually more readily available than seamless. The longer lead time required for seamless pipes can not only make timing problematic, but it also allows more time for the price of the materials to fluctuate.

The wall thickness of welded pipes is generally more consistent than that of seamless pipes.

The internal surface of welded tubes can be checked before manufacturing, which isn’t possible with seamless.

Advantages Of Seamless

The main perceived advantage of seamless pipes is that they don’t have a weld seam. Traditionally, the seam of welded pipes has been viewed as a weak spot, vulnerable to failure and corrosion. For many years, this fear was probably justified. However, in recent years improvements in the manufacturing process for welded steel pipes and other welded pipes have boosted the strength and performance of the weld seam to levels indistinguishable from that of the rest of the pipe.

Seamless pipes provide peace of mind. Although there should be no issues with the seams of welded pipes supplied by reputable manufacturers, seamless pipes prevent any possibility of a weak seam.

Seamless pipes have better ovality, or roundness, than welded pipes.

Get Welded Or Seamless For Your Next Project

Need more help deciding between welded and seamless? Contact us so we can help you determine the needs of your project. We have a large inventory of welded carbon pipes, steel pipes and more, as well as an equally robust selection of their seamless counterparts.